Countdown Till Launch
by Tibricel Tibby
Summary: There are only 144 day until launch and it is her job to help balance the combat system before then. Menolly was recruited for her gaming prowess to be the Lead Combat Mechanic Developer or as the Team calls her, SAO's Weapons Master. But over the coarse of the development SAO are both Kayaba and Menolly developing more then just a game? Kayaba X OC (NO COPY RIGHT IMPLIED.)
1. 144 Days Till Launch

/ 144 Days Ago…

/ Game Version: 0_1_337_Alpha_Build_ver42 (Code Name: Double Double Cherry)

_"Skill analyses complete." _Came the somber voice.

"I'm sorry that skill at this level is way to strong. Make a note CALClito, consider raising Purge Blade skill by ten levels, or maybe drop skills effectiveness by around twenty percent."

_Gee the dev team put way too much power into some of the skills._

"So what do we have next on the check list?" I turned back to look at the small baseball sized silver sphere floating only about a meter away. The little sphere floated a little closer taking up position just to my right hovering at head level.

_"That is all for the day Miss Zero, we need only to sync our findings with the Cardinal for review."_

I nodded and took one last look around the plains area CALClito and stood in and smiled. I had always loved gaming when I was younger, I didn't have many friends then. It was hard living in a country that you were not born in. My mother was in the US Air Force and her duty station was in Japan, so I was military brat, but unlike most I made an effort to learn about the lands I was living in. To the language was no problem for me these days, but I don't think my mother ever expected me to stay when she retired. It was just before I was starting my last year of high school. She wasn't upset, and relented with very little protest. Then again it wasn't like she or I had any family other than each other, both her parents had past and she had no family, and my father had no family. He himself had died when I was only four, and the wreck almost took me with him.

The wind started picking up and I looked to the setting sun. I pulled a few strands of virtual white hair out of my face curling it instinctively behind my ear. This would was virtual, it wasn't real. The sights, smells, soreness from taking a hit were all simulated. Even so the joy of accomplishment, of seeing something new and the thrill of exploration, adventure that was all real, you can't fake that.

"I guess we should call it a day then, go ahead and start syncing the date with my terminal I'll be there in just a moment."

_"At once miss." _Replied CALClito in his best human sounding voice, a ripple of color flashed across the sphere, and then just as quickly was returned back its not reflective silver color. Then the sphere winked out of existence as I looked on to the distance again.

I switched classes becoming a Lancer; the armor was lighter, but allowed for much greater movement. While my strength was not as great as a Lancer my dexterity and reaction time was superb. That was something that I had complained about on several reports, the fact that dexterity would play a greater role in say a characters ability to jump just didn't set right with me but I was over.

_Truthfully be told I'm glad, dexterity is my highest stat, so the acrobatics I can do where amazing."_

I started to run, the grass was passing me so fast, I wanted to take one last crack at the rare spawn here on this level, it was still work just need to test it out. It was as good an excise as any, I reached the coastline in just a few minutes. In the distance I saw my target, the rare spawn the working title for the quest was (I Just) Died in Your Six Arms Tonight. I thought it worked well seeing as this was a large crab you had to fight. Old Crabby was the working name for him and he only appeared at sun down, I really shouldn't have been taking it on my own but I was at present ten levels higher then him.

Not to mention I really wanted to play more with my Lancer Acrobatics Skills. When I was about ten meters away I leapt to the air well over anything human in the real world could, and drew my Lance activating a skill as I feel head first towards my target.

"Spineshatter Dive!"

I have no idea why I always screamed my class specials but it just seemed like the thing to do, it's what people in anime and movies did so just a good example of how fantasy imitates reality or was it fantasy imitating fantasy?

As the force of the fire like explosion vanished and swiftly I pushed off my Lance jumping back several meters away, just as a large claw swiped where I had just been. I landed on one hand and sprang back a few more meters then stood ready. Crabby was tall, probably over three meters and he was pissed off.

I had to grin, this was what I lived for, the thrill of the challenge myself. I went back in, dodging left with a hard thrust to one of the legs. Again and again I dodged each time working up more, getting faster, jumping higher. Granted it couldn't hit me not as long as I watched what I was doing but at this rate I was never going to kill it unless I wanted to spend all night whittling away on it.

"So this is what's taking you so long." The voice caught me off guard and that momentary distraction is all it took. My head whipped to the side to see Akihiko standing there in his usual full plate armor. Then I felt the impact as I was slammed to the ground eating a mouthful of dirt. I quickly rolled over to see the claw coming my way, but then he was there standing over me shield raised. There was a large clang as Crabby's claw impacted Akihiko's shield and I had to smile.

"My knight in shining armor." I said with a smile, most would never notice it from his monotone face but I saw the slightest twitch of a grin as he looked down at me. All too quickly it was gone and he simply shook his head. I rolled back wards tumbling and righting myself, Lance ready as he too jumped back and taking to my left flank.

"You do know we have been working on the stats of the rare spawns bosses right?"

"I did notice that he did seem a little Crabbier than usual." There was no response and I couldn't look at his face because I knew it would be one of distance in my very sad since of humor. "Just means that I need a partner to take him down." Then I did look and the slight grin returned and he nodded and dashed toward the Crab and the two met half way.

A shield bash and he was stunned, Akihiko took advantage of the moment and attacked the closest leg while I went to work on the opposite leg.

"Look out!" Akihiko shouted.

Crabby was really living up to his name sake. He had started to skitter in my direction, instantly I jumped backwards doing a hand plant then jumping back farther. Akihiko came to my side.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Let do it!" I said taking off a step behind him as he raced toward the Crab. He lead in with a shield bash, the followed through with heavy upwards slash exposing the monsters underbelly.

"Switch!" Quickly our positions were reversed. "Doom Spike!"

My strike was true and within an instant that was it Crabby was down with a digital poof. I turned to look at my boss, this time with a real gentle smile on his face. I cheered a little and then walked over to him giving him my usual thumbs up and he just shook his head.

"So I take it your don't playing around now?" He asked.

"Sorry I forgot we were in a game," I teased. "can't be playing around here this is super serious." He just chuckled, as long as I had known Akihiko, which was really a little over a year I had never seen him smile or laugh around anyone other than myself. I would be lying if I said it didn't make me feel special. It did.

"Come along Menolly it's getting late and you have been logged in all day. You shouldn't over work yourself."

"Yes, sorry. I'll try and remember to take better care of myself." I said, thinking about it now I had missed taking my medication and hour ago. Dang it. "Let's teleport and log on this floor here for the night."

"Yes."

We both accessed our administration interface and teleported to the local towns inn. After a moment of scrolling through the menu I found the logout command and after a kaleidoscope of light I was back in my office at Argus.

Unlike most people that wanted to work for Argus I was recruited. You see while I am a decent programmer I was not brought on for programing I was brought on because I was a gamer. For years I would play games, any game I could get my hands on really, it was only later that I was able to start going to competitions and gaming professionally. My mother frowned on my profession, but it was my passion. I couldn't stop I loved it, so that's what I did and I was good at it. For over four years professional gaming was my life and then I met Akihiko. He came to me and asked if I wanted to keep playing games or if I wanted to make new worlds.

At first I was skeptical, but after speaking with him for a while we both learned of each other's passions for games, but in truth for a game that surpassed all others, a game that you didn't just play but a game you lived. A quick taste of what he had to offer and I was hooked. That's all it took to get me on board.

One of my fondest memories, my title at Argus is Lead Developer of Combat Mechanics and System Balancing, but what it really boiled down to was I was setting that base level of all skills for combat and test out the raid group balancing so that Cardinal knows how players might react. Today was the last test of many of the combat skill systems. Meaning now I have paper work to start on tomorrow.

I sighed, I really hated all the paper work but that was just part of the job. I removed my NerveGear and felt a little better as I recalled that next week I would be testing the Raid's to make sure that bosses were beatable or to balance them a little more.

I sat my NerveGear on the table beside my desk and looked up at the computer screen, the small silver glowing sphere was bouncing on the desk top.

_Great CALClito was going to be miffed that I had taken so long to log out._

I reached over and turned on the speaker and immediately I head the little AI chastise me for making him wait.

_Not that he needed to._

"Hello CALClito have you uploaded the date to Cardinal yet?"

"No I have not. I do wish you would carried me along on your little side mission it could have provided invaluable information. I would like to run analysis the data from today using the mainframe but I am waiting in the queue. It will be later tonight when I can process it. I will have it for you first thing in the morning." The little 3D sphere flashed a few colors then returned to its none reflective silver.

I pinched the bridge of my nose followed by a good old rubbing of my eyes. I do need to spend less time in there. I leaned my chair forward from it more reclined position and stretched my arms. There came a knock at my door and standing there with his gentle grin was Akihiko.

"So the Weapons Master of SAO is finally awake." I chuckled at my unofficial title.

"Good day Akihiko-senpai." I smiled back obviously much brighter then him. In the game I had gotten him to smile and even chuckle, but here in the real world. Never.

"Well Springfield-san, it seems that you have not left yet." Well duhh we just killed a rare spawn less than ten minutes ago. "Nor did log out for lunch—Neither did I."

I know I must have had a dumb look on my face but did Akihiko just ask me to go to dinner with him. I was swoon, I didn't know I could swoon. He was a few years older than me five to be specific, and I would be lying if I said that I did not like him but I always assumed that our playful banter never really meant anything.

_Is this really happening?_

"Yeah!, I mean yes sir I would love to. Like too! I um sure, sure." I looked at him after my prattling and he smiled. He smiled, I flicked my hand and no menu appeared, I was still in the real world he is really smiling at me.

"Good, I was worried you might have to get home since it's so late." I shook my head as I reached over and grabbed my purse setting it in my lap. I reached around the sides of my chair and unlocked the wheels, then rolling my way to the door to me Akihiko as he stood back to let me through the door and he walked beside me as I pushed the wheels of my chair and we reached the elevator.

That was one thing that I had always liked about Akihiko, he never tried to overly 'help me' out like most of the team did. You see I was paralyzed from the waist down when I was young, the same day that my father died. So games were my outlet to the world, I couldn't get out as much as a kid and mom was always working on the base so it was what really thrilled me. It happened at such a young age that I can't really remember what it was like to walk in the real world, to not be restricted by my chair.

_But in SAO I can outrun the wind._

That's how he got me, I logged on to the demo land scape for the NerveGear and that was all it took, I was hooked, it was exciting, invigorating, and best of all. I was free.

"So what would you like to eat? I know a pretty good Ramen shop nearby." He asked.

"Hmm ramen sounds great, I wonder if they have a bowl with crab?"

* * *

**Fun Facts:**

** (I Just) Died in Your Six Arms Tonight**

The quest the Menolly refers to a real FATE Quest in FFXIV with the same name.

** Zero / Menolly**

In SAO she is known as Zero, for player Zero. While people at Argus have played the levels that were in development Menolly became the first player that started the closed in house only Alpha test phase.

She is the only American on the development team (That I know of.) and has lived her whole life in Japan where here mothers duty station was. She speaks perfect Japanese as a native and English thought she does have an accent when speaking English.

** CALClito (CALK 'Lie ' tow)** is an acronym for a tactical data gathering AI that Menolly developed to help her judge and balance the character skills and the coming raid bosses and mobs. It stands for:

_Computational _

_Algorithm_

_Leveling_

_Consultant and_

_limited_

_interaction_

_tactical _

_operator_

Also sometimes called CALC for short, and by other development team members as it's hard for some to say. CALC is also the program name for the calculator in the Windows OS with the .exe removed.

CALClito cannot interact with the world but can gather data on what is happening much like Yui can analysis the data fee d in SAO. However CALClito tends to make suggestions on strategy and what a person might do against monsters, but this is only useful after he has enough data to analyze. Veritable also on the number of players, attacks used, skill level, and actions taken by both the players and the monster.

**Software Version Info**

0_1_337_Alpha_Build_ver42 (Code Name: Double Double Cherry)

The is meant to translate to '_leet_' (1337)

The code name _Double Double Cherry_ is one of the first sugar free mixes of Cool Aid

* * *

Well that's that, I hope you enjoyed and it wasn't too boring of a read. I'm not sure if I will do more at the moment as I need to finish two other stories right now, but maybe after the first of the year. If I do I might open this story up to collaboration with others or asked for people to submit some more OC's for the story as when the SAO Beta launches I will need some other people rather than just the Main cast thought I would expect to meet them later and get involved with them some.

Well drop me a review and let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading.

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Do it.

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\/


	2. 98 Days Till Launch

/ 98 Days Ago…

/ Game Version: _Alpha_Build_ver12 (Code Name: Soarin' Strawberry Lemonade)

The day had been pretty normal for the Akihiko Kayaba the director of Sward Art Online, the team meeting this morning had gone well and they had plans to implement the newest build to the live production mainframe overnight. With this new build they would be adding in the new interaction system and the final build of the user interface that would be in the game. He himself had dedicated the last few weeks personally putting the finished touches on the 100th floor of Aincrad, his castle.

All the while he worked on the castle that had been his passion for so long he thought of the new passion that was becoming just as important. Over the last month both he and Menolly had gone out a several more time, not counting eating lunch together, he felt a since of pride that he was getting to know her. It had taken almost a year to build nerve to ask her to the impromptu dinner the first time.

Then last week when, asked if he would like to join her in her after hours work, which turned into them questing together, then just enjoying a walk through the trails on the 22nd floor. She had told him that it was her second favorite place in the world, her first being the 49th floor, because it was always snowing there. Indeed their relationship was blossoming, and she liked him loved the world that was being built. When he was there he felt free of earthly limitations, he felt as though anything was possible, and there within the world of Aincrad it was. Having Menolly there with him just made it all better. There was no down side to falling for her, they both seemed to share a vision of escaping from this world.

Akihiko Kayaba stood from his desk returning the world that lay before him. It had been a very productive day but now it was time to go home for the day. He wouldn't be able to see Menolly today unfortunately, though they did have plans to meet tomorrow after their panel at the convention.

He surveyed his desk gathering a few items he would need for tomorrows presentation, leaving his office he turned off the light and made is way down the hall but as he passed the main control floor what would be the hub of all SAO operation he noticed that the lights were still on as well as the large monitors higher up on the wall. Normally this would not have been anything out of the ordinary but something nagged at the back of Kayaba's mind. Swipped his access card he entered to find a lone tech sitting at a terminal reading a book.

The tech's name eluded him but one thing he did notice on the tech screen were commands flying by one after the other. The male tech turned to see him and stood in greeting, but he paid the man no mind.

He was implementing the update, but not like was protocol. He was running the update directly to the mainframe from the command line. Normal updates should be submitted to Cardinal, then Cardinal would verify them for their consistency then, issue a mandatory logout for all players. The reason being the new content could make areas of the levels drop out of existence and not to mention when and update was run it disabled the safety systems and user controls.

So anyone still logged in would not be forcedly ejected, have no way to get out on their own and the NerveGear safety systems would be disabled. Meaning that sever nerve damage could occur to anyone if they were her in the game. The NerveGear would disable the limiters, while ne knew this it was not something that he wanted to be know now..

"Ah Director how..." Kayaba was out of his thoughts and on the man in an instant.

"What is the meaning of this?" The younger man was about to speak but was again cut off at the somber rage that the older director was directing at him. "This is not part of the standard operating procedure. Can you explain to me why the mainframe is being upgraded in this manner? What's your name?"

The younger man swallowed hard knowing that he had caused a grievous error with the director and steadied himself before speaking.

"The Cardinal sometimes does not like the updates, I mean there are things that have to be corrected so that Cardinal will implement it. So sometimes rather than staying all night trying to find that one thing that would more than likely be patched out in a day or two anyway. I'll sometimes just run the update directly. Its ok sir I checked everything before starting, no one was logged in and I executed a admin master logout before starting." Well maybe he was not as incompetent as he thought but still this was not procedure, this would defiantly be addressed at the next team meeting.

He looked to his watch again, it was getting late and he and the tech were no doubt the only people in the building other than security.

"We will be discussing procedures at the team meeting Thursday, but after this you will perform mainframe updates as they should be. There is a reason that we have the procedure as they are, Cardinal has the best interest of the SAO infrastructure and the players in mind." He let it sink in be for speaking, finishing his thought.

"Is that understood?"

"Yes sir, director." Said the younger man prostrating himself for his error.

Without another work Kayaba turned to leave he made it to the door as he hear the tech mutter something about no one even being here right now that would be logged in to the game. Something about that statement nagged at him, just as a percousion he dropped by her office on the way to the elevator even though it was not near the elevator. No one was there and the light was off, he smiled slightly, that secret smile he saved only for her. He would see her tomorrow, they were going to have dinner tomorrow night after the convention.

(/ﾟДﾟ)/

Well this day was beginning to suck, started out pretty good, but then there was a data corruption in the mainframe so all the data that CALClito had collected on the last two raids we did would have to be redone. I decided since I would be pulling a late nighter I would leave a little early get something to eat then return to the office. I might not get both raid completed but maybe I could get at least one done before they kicked me out of the building.

I went over to my desk and sat the to-go box down of what was left of my okonomiyaki dinner, it would have been better if the other half had not landed in my lap after another patron at the tumbled into my table. I glanced over to the clock on my desk, 2115 hours. I have time I can hit up the first raid, I have the strategy down so it should be pretty quick.

_Who am I kidding I'll just use my spare set of clothes I keep here and leave here in the morning for the convention. _

"Looks like it's a whore bath in the wash room tomorrow." I said aloud to no one. One of my mother's little saying for when you had little time to shower properly.

I began getting my NervGear ready, making sure to load up my settings from the previous scenario for the floors boss strategy then I was ready. Lean back and get comfy then ready to go.

"Link Start!"

The kaleidoscope of lights enveloped me as and for a little bit it was like falling but with on air rushing around me it was an odd little fall. I landed just outside of the raid area, before me was a large towering mountain. The story behind this raid was pretty simple really even though getting to it was not. The run down was, there was a dragon that lived in the keep, and he had ran the inhabitance of the keep out, and now it was time to take it back.

This was just the lead up the main plot that started at floor 83 and continued till the end of the game where players had the rest control of the world from the God King yda yda yda, you get the idea.

I looked at my brave Blood Knight Legion, truthfully my NPC guild was kind of lacking I designed there knight uniforms with a almost Red Cross feel to them, mostly white with hints of red, but I decided that my own uniform would be my usual Red with my light silver armor.

_I'm the guild leader, I can dress differently than my troops._

The raids were fun but would be much better when we had real people playing rather than my NPC army. People could think and screw up, my NPC's could only interact using the stratagems that I had programed into them or thought strategy's programed through CALClito.

I gave my troops orders as we advanced and grinding through the trash mobs it would take up about forty minutes to get to the boss room.

(ง •̀_•́)ง

My men were plowing through the dungeon pretty well better since last time and I had a better lay of the land. We only lost two guys and they were nothing Thief skilled any way. This dungeon didn't really requite that type of player as it was pretty straight forward, there was a dragon here and you have to fight it. We were just outside of the boss room I called up CALClito so that he could assist with coordinating the NPC army and record the data. While CALClito could not directly intervene in the world he could control NPC's that were put under his control. I turned to my army with a grin and smiled.

"Alright lady's get ready this is it. Dress rehearsal for hell and all that business. Not all of you will make it out of here alive, but that's ok I'll just re-spawn you later if we have to reset the fight.," I posed for dramatic effect, even though there would be no talking back from any of the NPC's. Though CALC spoke up then.

"Shall I have then cheer you one?" I looked at the little silver sphere and nodded. Within seconds my knights were cheering as I continued on.

"I don't plan on holding your hands lady's so stay sharp, focus and by al means lets do this in one run because I want to go to sleep at a decent hour.!" Again cheers rose up like thunder and I motion my brave cannon fodder forward. "Ok are you ready CALC I really would like to get this over with and go to sleep.'

"Yes Miss I shall do my best as your brave Blood Knights to assist you in battle so that we may win the day."

"Alright then let's do this."

(・ω・；)

The fight was going well, but still I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, I had taken a hit just a moment ago and I had to say that it hurt, I mean like really hurt, and was still hurting. That wasn't right, the pain shouldn't still remain after I healed it. CALClito was also having issue with my Blood Knights, there response time was sluggish but then so was the great dragon we were fighting. I had thought about just ending the fight and logging out to see what was going on, the data from the fight was a loss any way with the way things were bugging up but continued.

The boss was well below 10% health so I figured we so it seemed like finishing was just as easy as ending. That is until the world fell out from under me and my Knights, we were falling.

_The hell!_

I panicked, this wasn't part of the raid, this was all wrong. Bad this is bad I though as gravity started to catch up with me, the world below was just darkness and I was freaked out beyond belief. Quickly I enacted my system menu, and prepared to teleport out, but to my surprise I was out of crystals, a silent curse escaped me. Its ok it's just a game logout and find out what the hell is going on, this is the most screwed up bug ever.

Then if possible my stomach started falling faster than me, the logout function was disabled, it was grayed out.

_This is a nightmare._

It was like literal nightmare come to life I was falling and with no way of stopping myself I didn't know what was happening, I couldn't logout, and taking a second look I had no admin privileges. Just as my mind was running though scenarios on what I could do, the list was short, I hear above a loud roaring sound and felt instance heat near me.

_The Dragon!_

He was in full dive and coming right as some of my falling knights, they were below me but far enough away that he wouldn't becoming for me yet. Not one to give up I leaned forward and began diving too but not as fast as he was.

Closer... only a few meters away.

Closer... I could almost touch his long tail.

Almost...There.

I tightened my dive more as I activated an ability.

"Power Surge!" I screamed activating my ability to increase me damage on my special attacks. The dragon was too preoccupied with its targets to pay me any mind as I slammed into his back with a shrill scream.

"Dragonfire Dive!" I cried, I didn't know what was going on, I didn't know if the building was on fire around me, or if the world was coming to an end but I knew one thing in that moment of falling into the bottomless abyss we were in. I was going to kill that damn dragon. I glanced at my opponents bar, less than 7% hp, the dragon for his part was quick to recover and notice the new person that was on his back and I was taken aback at the fury there in his eyes.

_Oh good I pissed it off and have nowhere to run._

I jumped letting the wind catch me, as the dragon fell below but he would be back I was sure of that, he had wings. I did not.

Sure enough he was turning and looking incredulously up at me. If I were to admit it this was starting to be fun, I mean really it was fun. That is until the world returned to us and far below I could see the ground, we had fallen through the floor.

_The pain..._

The horror of realization was fresh in my mind, I had only taken a grazing blow and it hurt like hell, granted it were in the real world I would have lost my leg. But if I hit the ground how bad was that going to hurt. As if to answer my question, I came back to the world around me just in time to dodge the dragons claws, but it was not close enough and the tip of his rear claw slashed me across the face as I rolled and he passed.

I streaked with pain, this shouldn't be happening this was to much pain. The system shouldn't be able to cause this kind of pain, I tried to open my right eye but it was just a blur, and the pain at the light came back full force. The burning in the right side of my face was excruciating as the dragon roared with triumph I turned to see him coming and I think a part of realized that I was going to die if I hit the ground.

If the pain in my eye was any indication, but if I was going to die in a freaking game I was taking that dragon with me. Gritting my teeth and waited.

_Come to me you big bantered! Come and get me. Come and get me.._

"Come and get me!" I opened my arm rocketing up above my descending foe, the thrust forward plunging my spear into the dragons eye. He took my eye, so I take his.

_An eye for an eye._

We were still falling but the dragon was silent as I rode him to my demise I looked at the loot list with a one eye grin.

_Oh look a new lance... an orange lance, I get a legendary weapon when I'm quite possibly about to die. That's par for the coarse._

I had hoped I would get that spear once I saw it on the drawing Yoki, the lead Weapons Designers sketch pad. Its drop was random, very random like once in a life time random and here I was about to maybe die in a freaking game. How dumb did that sound.

The ground was almost there, we were about to see if this was all the game or just a nightmare I was going to walk up from but the pain I'm my eye said otherwise.

Out of nowhere a Knight approached me falling along beside me, and in his hand was a teleport crystal and then from his lips came CALClito's voice.

"Menolly!" He shouted as he slowly came closer to me his arm outstretched with the crystal. "Take it! There is a problem with the system, the limiters are turned off you have to teleport to town now!"

The limiters were off, no. My breath seized in my thought, that way the pain was so much more, that's why my eye hurt. No time for fear now, I reached and my finger grazed the crystal and then they were around it, the world below was so close. I could see the road in the field.

My hands were around the crystal and its blue glow stared to light up my face and then the wind stopped and I took only a small tumble as I gently hit the hard stone ground. I was face up and above me there was snow falling, people were bustling around town, well NPC's were doing there preprogramed jobs.

"Menolly, Menolly are you ok?" cam the concerned voice of CALC as I lay on the cold ground and snow.

"No something is wrong with my right eye, it still hurts and I can't see out of it anymore."

"Just moment I'll summon up a Blood Knight and get you indoors."

True to his word, he did and carried me to an inn and for the night CALC took care of me. I was trapped here I couldn't call up my admin console in my menu, and I couldn't log out. The admin terminals in game were not ready yet so there was no way to over right the personal terminal with GM terminal in game because they didn't exist yet.

I was stuck in SAO, and until whatever was happening on the outside was over or until someone on the outside forced a logout I was trapped.

( ≧Д≦)

Even after a few hours and the CALClito controlled NPC healing me my eye still hurt and I couldn't see out of it, it was strange. Something had happened, god only knows what, my imagination ran wild with wonder, had the system crashed, was I having some type of heath problem and if so was I slowly dying? I don't know how long I lay there in the inn but it was some time later when the Blood Knight NPC came back in with some food for me.

Granted it would not really nourish my body but it would mental placate my taste buds. Just like the real world it was warm, it tasted good and it gave me a since of fullness even though it was all just virtual data that the NervGear translated into neural impulses that would tell my brain that it tasted good, like chicken mostly, and its taste was pretty good.

_What, what? WHAT?_

"I have to get out of here." I'm getting claustrophobic and I don't know what's going on.

"Miss Menolly if you are still in pain then I suggest you stay as you are. With your sight affected as it is your effectiveness in battle is greatly diminished. I estimate by a ratio of 45% and minimum."

Lovingly or as loving ly as I could I reached up and crossed the floating silver sphere like I could a person's face.

"I'm just going outside, my leg doesn't really hurt anymore and I can't sit here all night." I stood and left the inn, outside the inn it was cold and snowing. I always loved the snow, I guess because it made me thing happy thoughts. There wasn't any special meaning behind it really, I just felt lighter with the cool breeze and the snow was gently coming down.

I walked around for at least an hour and the cold was starting to get to me, CALC and his Blood Knight NPC followed just behind me like a loyal watch dog. The sun was setting when we left the inn, and now it had set and the moon was bright in the sky above as the gentle snow fell on the world.

I just wanted to get my mind off of what was going on, I couldn't log out, I couldn't access any menu other than the most basic's like inventory, character and armory. As I passed a shop I looked in and stopped. In our walk I had somewhat been window shopping, I'm a girl I do like to shop, but in this shop there was a head mannequin with an eye patch, this wouldn't have been so symbolic to me till I really paid attention to my own reflection in the mirror.

_My eye is red._

Not like sensed so hard that I popped a blood vessel, were talking about orb of blood red. I looked like I had a blood red marble for an eye, it was... disturbing.

_What the hell is happening? This is not part of the game._

This can't happen, unless there is a nerve abnormality between me and the NervGear. I had noticed that I tended to drift to the left when I was walking and the blind spot in my normal vision had been difficult to get over in such a short time.

I steeled by nerves and my pride as I broke for the ghostly image I was casting in the story front. I almost kicked the door open to the small shop as the female NPC standing behind the counter looked at us.

"Good day travelers, how might I help you today?"

"I need an eye patch." I said sternly. As the shop keeper busied about the shop and lead us to her small stock of leather looking eye patches. I was never a vain person but if a real person were to see this it would look horrific, and if it was here then that meant it was in the real world as well. I just sighed as I selected a black one.

"Would you like it mildly customized Miss? I am able to put symbols or crests perhaps."

I really didn't care about that I just didn't want to see the horrid looking thing if I didn't have too. I was really happy the NPC's were not programmed to be more talkative and she could not ask me about my eye.

"Sure put the symbol for Dragon on it." Might as well it was a dragon that took my eye.

_No this isn't real it's just a game, it will be fine when I get out of here."_

Only a moment later the shop keeper handed me my eye patch and we left the shop. I was starting to get tired now and it had been a long day and I could really use a warm soak in the tub. CALC and I returned to the inn and got a room and made my way to the indoor spring. One of the greatest things about this game is the hot springs, there was a lot of drama about including baths in the game. Some thought that once the game went live worldwide that it was be very controversial so it might not be in the other country's versions of the game.

_Thank goodness I live in japan._

After my bath and my time to think I returned to the room, I had never slept in the game even though the system allowed for it. Although there was talk of an auto log out function planned for if your brain waves went into R.E.M. sleep.

_But not yet._

So much was left to finish in the game and part of me wondered if we would finish in time. I lay in the bed and looked out the window. CLAC floated just in front of the fire place with his NPC standing at the door like a good little NPC.

I tried to access the admin menu once more and then the log out function but again there was nothing. I was staying the night until someone on the outside was able to help me. But how long will that take? It was Friday, and we had that convention panel tomorrow but would any one think to check for me at the office? Would Kayaba think to look at the office or would he even look, he knew I didn't really want to go to the event.

Letting my hand drop from the air and the menu blink out of existence I closed my eyes and soon I was asleep.

(／_^)／ ● ＼(^_＼)

Akihiko Kayaba had not had a good day, and if truth be told it had been a bad weekend. All of this badness had stemmed from his lack of contact with one of his team. Specifically Menally, she should have been at the convention and had a panel, but she didn't show. This he had expected, Menally had never really like crowd's and felt as if she was inconveniencing people due to her wheel chair. So he was not surprised when she did not show up much to the chagrin of the audience.

Though when she had not shown up for dinner that night, the two had been planning it all week and his girlfriend seemed excited about it, though they were not a couple, at least they had never called their relationship as such he had hoped it would have changed over dinner.

To say he was a disappointed, it did fluster him that he could not reach her on her mobile. he tried not to let it bother him, she was a strong willed person and maybe something came up that he was unaware of.

That had to be it, he Akihiko had never met her mother but he knew she was retired and live only a few hours out of the city, perhaps her health was no what it should be. Yes that had to be it, his self-created explanation had to be it. he would see her on Monday and they would both have a laugh about it over lunch.

But just in case he would call her once more before dinner.

(╯°Д°）╯︵/(.□ . )

Monday came and still no call, text or anything from Menally. To say that Akihiko Kayaba was feeling worried was an understatement. He had played the past time they had been together out in his mind looking for anything that he might have done to deserve the cold shoulder but nothing stood out. Granted he was not the most sociable person outside of the office be he had always put his best foot forward when he was around Menally.

Walking through the lobby of the building was usual, a casual hello to Machi, the early AM security guard then the 2 minuet elevator ride to his floor. Stop by the employ break room to start a pot of coffee, he was the first person here so it fell on him to get the daily brew going.

Then he was there, at his desk ready to review last week's updates and logs from the latest update to SAO. A few of the early morning techs stopped by just long enough to say hello as he looked over the logs from the update. Finding that a few bugs had occurred, no doubt due to the uncharacteristic way they were implemented and not verified beforehand.

The first order of business at the 10 AM meeting this morning. They were all going to get a good speech about slandered operating procedures. Akihiko removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, they were so close to finishing but so far, his goal, his dream was in reach and soon he would have his castle.

Just not soon enough he though as he stood. The coffee should be ready now and he needed a cup desperately.

Returning to the break room he band preparing his morning coffee, 3 spoons of sugar and one scream. Akihiko would never admit it but he did have a profession for sweats, he had a feeling that Menally was close to figuring this out but he had not mentioned it on any of their outings, nor had he tried to cover it up.

Taking a look at his watch it was time to check on the control room staff, he would make a mental note to try and catch Menally before the meeting, as good as she was at her job she was the world's worst about getting to the office by 8 AM. Usually rolling in, literally, about 9 to 930. her lack of arrival time was all ways made up by how late she would work though.

Upon entering the control room there were several tech gathered around a termal all talking heatedly about something. Probably the failed update they would have to spend the fay fixing and re-implement.

"What's going on?" Kayaba asked. All eyes turned to meet the eyes of the director of SAO and slightly paled as if they had done something wrong, well only one of them had done anything wrong, but he did not seem to be here in this group.

"Director, yes there seems to be an issue with all administrator access, all admin access has been revoked and there is now a bug in the user menu interface. Only the basic settings are there inventory, character info skills etc."

Great now there was more work to be done to fix the menu system, something that was complete.

"The real issue director is that there is a user logged in, and until we have admin control again they can't log out. We were about the issue a mass log out but we don't have access."

The director of SAO was moving even before the tech finished speaking, within minutes he was at a terminal, his hands flying over the keys using his root access to find out what had happened and more importantly to confirm a fear that was building in the back of his mind.

Mass commands were offline, so executing a mass logout was not an option, so then he set to work on restoring the basic menu structure so that a user would have access to the logout command. The task was not hard but even the twenty minuets that it took seemed like a life time.

With that take done he then navigated the system to see who is logged in, but even before the system brought up the requested data, he knew.

Knew, that it was Menally.

Within seconds his fear was confirmed. Menally the lone user had been logged in for the past fifty-nine hours, was currently on the 55th floor, her favorite floor he mind recalled. She liked the snow and if he recalled correctly that was where her guild hall was, in the town up in the mountains.

Quickly he was out of the control room and down the hall, then turn right, then a left, past a conference room, then the door on the right the door to her office.

The world came back to focus and he was standing in her office, the lights in the room were on, but the sun light flitting through the windows blanketed Menally as she lay back in here chair, the NervGear on and link active.

His eyes took in every inch of her form; never had his face showed the emotion of horror until this moment when he registered the dried red staining the otherwise pristine face of one Menally Springfield.

( ó㉨ò)ﾉ

Two whole days, I have been stuck in a game that I helped create for two–whole-days. I would complain more but really the only thing I've missed out on was having dinner with Kayaba. Disregarding the building worry of what had happened to cause my current circumstances.

_I'm still banking on aliens._

After staying the night in town, with my ever vigilant nurse made CALC, whom I threatened to remove his speech module and make text only if he told me my efficiency one more time. Still controlling his Blood Knight NPC and watching intently as I practiced.

After stopping my worrying and a little self-loathing I had decided it was time to get back in the game. Pardon the pun but I was doing what I could in a bad situation.

Namely I had no sight from my right eye, and in a game like SAO that was a big disadvantage.

_Goodness knows CALClito would not shut up about my, 'low effectiveness'. _

Currently I was in the training hall of the Blood Knights guild hall. One of the perks of being a dev was that I had a virtually limitless about of expendable income. But truthfully I didn't need it I just got the full spoils from all the raids that my Blood Knights fought in.

I shook my head as CALClito started speaking to me his silver spherical body floating directly in front of me with a rainbow ripple of color.

"What? Sorry I wasn't paying attention."

"I said that your efficiency has steadily increased, and you are now broaching 78%."

"Thanks CALC."

I had thrown myself into training, trying to overcome my in game physical hindrance. It was just something that had to be overcome.

CALC floated over to the side and again I nodded as the training room spawned the 'monsters' that I had to defeat. I raced forward, a slash here, then a jump dive and a repost, avoiding a close call and I dispatched my enemies, one by one they fell before me, until I heard something to my right, followed swiftly by a pang in my side.

As I tumbled to the side and looked to where the hit came from, I heard it but didn't act fast enough. I was so use to relying on my sight but even after two days of work I was getting better but not good enough. The first few runs had been really bad, no longer having any depth perception was the worst, and I tended to drift to the left now.

_This will not stop me. I will not let this keep me down._

I rolled out of the way, as a metal clanged on the ground to my right where I was only seconds ago. With one swift movement I was back up and my lance was whirling to the left catching the humanoid monster in the back. Unlike me he didn't make it to the ground, I was on him in an instant and my lance was through him in an instant.

I was in the zone now and I hear the shuffling of feet to my right and forced myself to swing, it was wiled but I had to get in the habit of working with what I had, and there was something coming up fast on my right.

My new lance Fafnir sang through the air and found its mark followed by a cry of pain.

_That isn't right!?_

Training dummies did cry out in pain.

MY vision caught up with my action and I stopped horrified as I saw lying sprawled out on the floor Kayaba. I dropped Fafnir and was at his site in an instant, had I killed him?

The NPC monsters the room generated only hit for one HP so it did not really hurt to get hit at all by them, I however just hit my possible boyfriend with my full strength. When I got hit the other day it hurt, truly hurt. Knowing that I felt bad and worried that I had caused some real damage to Kayaba, I was ecstatic to see him but was horrified what I had just done to him.

"Oh, my goodness! Kayaba are you ok, I'm sorry I didn't… I mean it was an accident… I was training, and I haven't seen anyone in… days. It has only been days…"

I was babbling, I was relieved, happy, scared all at the same time and my babbling was stopped by a gloved hand that covered my mouth.

"It's ok." Kayaba said reassuring me and pulling me down and embracing me into his armor plated chest. This was a new side of him I had not experienced; he was never this open with any one. "Listen to me Menally, the user functions have been restored. I'm going to log out first," he said as his hand moved from my mouth to cup my cheek and he grimaced slightly as it brushed over my cheek and the patch that was now on my right eye. "I want you to wait 5 minutes and then logout, I'll be waiting right there for you when you wake up, but I want to you to keep your eyes closed until I tell you otherwise."

His face fell as he spoke and the part of me that knew something had been wrong from the beginning was confirmed.

"Yes." I said with nod as he pulled the both of us up and I looked up at the incredulous look he was giving not me but the eye patch.

I knew that whatever had happened, my battle scar was going to follow me back to the other world.

(*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑

Kayaba waited in the dark room of Menally's office. The EMT's were waiting patiently as the link light on the NervGear blinked from green, to amber then went dark. Instantly Menally's breathing picked up and her hands moved albeit sluggishly removing the NervGear. Kayaba wanted to be at her side but the EMT's were already on her helping her and lifting her to the stretcher.

The even in the dim light of the office, he could tell that her right eye was red and the blood that was dried on her face was disturbing and he could only stair at her as the paramedics worked to check her. As they wheeled her from the office he followed and even to the hospital all the time never leaving here as she assured him that everything was ok. That it would all be ok and she would be back at work in a day or so.

The paramedics predictions were confirmed when they arrived at the hospital. Menally had a massive Macroaneurysm, her eye suffered some type of trauma that caused the blood vessels to literally explode.

The doctors would simply confirm what he, the paramedics and even Menally already knew.

She would lose her right eye.

* * *

EXTRAS:

CALClito - He does have some uses, he can run an NPC, or at least he can make the strategy for the Blood Knights and execute orders to them that Menally issues.

Fafnir - Menally's new lance is names after a Dragon that the Norse god Odin slayed with his great sward Grin. The Lance is names for the Dragon.

* * *

There you have it Menally is the first victim of SAO and it isn't even released to the public. Yes it was by human error, XD.

So do I have any suggestions or thoughts about the direction the story is going or about the foot hold some of the events will have on the influences the events have on the main story after launch.

Part of me wishes I could do a companion story with this to run alongside it with the perspective of other dev's on the SAO team before the game launches. I plan on adding a few more of the dev team to the story so this is not just a with two people.

As always please review, tasteful comments please dont need flames. However constructive criticism is welcome.

.

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DO IT!

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please =3

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V


	3. 82 Days Till Launch

/ 82 Days Ago…

/ Game Version: _Alpha_Build_ver101 (Code Name: Rock-a-Dile Red)

Today was the big day, I was sitting in the meeting room waiting on the rest of the staff leads to come in. Over the last few weeks things had been tense the staff was on edge and some had not wanted to log into the game due to my unfortunate mishap.

_All human error I might add._

I looked up as Naomi came in the room, ever since I started working here Naomi had been one of the most up beat people I have ever met. The lead Artist of SAO bounced over to me and sat down quickly and began to rattle on about the last week had been a nightmare and she was behind on the last few levels. At this point all the infurstructor of the world was complete and the nuances and decorating.

I personally always thought her title should have been lead Interior Designer of SAO but I wasn't the one diving out titles. After all I was the lead Combat System Designer and all I did was tell the development team what skills should be called and to tone them down or not. Well I got to fight dragons so it's a little better.

"So we should have the last five levels done in about two weeks. So, " Naomi paused and I knew the questions that were about to spill out of her mouth. "How are you handling everything after the accident? I know it cant be easy you know losing an eye and all. Its kind of creeped me out that it happened because of the game." Again I had to sigh, it was mostly human error.

"Its not the games fault Naomi, its like a lance, its not the lances fault that if you stab someone with it." Oh that was kind of bad analogy but the principal was sound. The game just did what it was made to do, it just didn't have any limits on what it was doing.

"Still I can hardly believe it, but you have bounced back rather quickly."

"Well what do you expect from someone who is a dragon slayer, all part of the job description" I said with a slight smirk. That had been my generic replay when people asked about my eye. I had even found someone to put the dragon symbol from the game on the patch I had on in real life. The eye its self was still red and from what the doctors said that was just how it was, there was no reason to remove it thank goodness but as far as sight was concerned I would never see out of it again.

"Anyway I'm done with all the mobs and boss fights up to level 90 now, so there is nothing to really worry about other then your team to finish up the decor then test the last ten floor. We should finished well before we start the closed beta." I had to grin at my next statement and Naomi paled ever so slightly. "Then I can make the entire team log on for a good old fashion game night."

Naomi just rolled her eyes at me, and readjusted her red rimmed glasses. The reset of the team leads were filling in the conference room and I felt a hand on my left shoulder and turned to see Kayaba standing there. When I first woke up from the hospital stay after the incident he was there for me and had been there for me as much as he could since then.

While I didn't mean to we did have a little bit of a fight two days ago. He was just trying to help but I got frustrated with him and yelled at him. He left my apartment and after we both threw a few well misplaced words at each other. I felt like a heal and no doubt my rebuff of him just trying to help made him feel like a heal as well. But it was my fault, no questions about that. So yesterday I had apologized profusely and tried to make dinner for him, which I failed at. We then ended up making dinner together.

When I was young and I was in the wreck that took my legs it wasn't really that big of a deal, don't get me wrong there were inconveniences and things that I had to get use to but I was young. When your young and growing up if you can't walk that is just how it is you can walk so you learn what you can do. Things like that are a little easier as a child we adapt better, when I first started working on SAO it took me a lot of effort to learn to walk again.

_Thank goodness the 'like riding a bike' statement held true._

But losing an eye was really a trial, and I wasn't so young that I just did what I had too. I was a young women that was to a pint stuck in her ways and now I had a mountain to go up to get use the differences.

Smiling up ay Kayaba I asked how his day was going. At the office we were all about polite conversation, we worked really hard not to let you relationship be a factor when it came to work and so far we were doing great.

"I was just hoping that we might go out for dinner tonight there is a special place I would like to take you if you don't mind." Que me acting overly girly and just nodding as he gave me the elusive funny cute smile of his.

_And its gone._

He stood and made his way over to his seat a the head of the table taking his seat waiting for the last of the leads to come in.

_And Que Naomi._

"So what's he like outside of work, he seems so serious, even when speaking with you." I shrugged.

"He's sweat," I know I blushed a little with my revelation." I never really dated much back in my pro gamer days. Most of those guys wouldn't know what to do with out a controller, or they envisioned that they needed to be dating super models. Not some crippled girl in a wheel chair." Naomi thought this over and just smiled until I added in the next sentence.

"Plus they got all butt hurt when I stomped them in the ground. Hurt a boys e-penis and that is a sure fire way to make them not like you." At that both of us had to giggle.

"So where do you think he wants to carry you tonight?"

"Don't know, we never really go anywhere fancy, just because were both kind of the same as far as social outings go. I hate going out, and Kayaba is about the same. We just prefer to hang around at home or eat out at a local places then go home a watch a good movie."

_After all were both more comfortable in front of a computer then in front of other people._

Naomi and I continued our polite girl talk as much as we could as the last few people filled into the room and the boring meeting began, it was just a gathering of the minds, discuss where we were see if anyone was behind, then if so come up with solutions to help get them back on task. In short, boring.

It was nearing the end of the hour long meeting that one of the few faces that never showed up namely Takahara, Kinji the CEO of the company and Koujiro Rinko one of the lead hardware engineers of the NervGear. While the NervGear was Kayaba's brain child and he had almost single handedly engineered the wonder, he had a team what he worked with and the one person right under and closest to him was Koujiro Rinko.

Rinko handed Kayaba small stack of papers, and hear read over the one on top and then started to take one and pass the stack along. As the papers were going around Kinji started speaking, then I knew what this was about, and slouched in my chair.

"Now I know this goes without saying but you all signed NDA's as part of your paper work, but I just wanted to take a moment to reiterate this as and remind you that what happens here in the office is sometimes sensitive information." He then took a stern look at me, it was well know fact in the office that Kinji was proprietor of the notion that foreners needed to stay out of his country's businesses. With me being the only no Japanese born employ on the SAO team, I made a point to try and keep my distance from him.

True I am not Asian, but I have duel citizenship, due to my mother being American and her duty station being here in Japan. Add in an un fortunate incident of me being a month early and not being born on the air base and there you have it, a legal Japanese American. At this point in my life I have never even been to America, honestly I feel more at home here and while my English is ok, I have been told that I have a bad accent.

"Meaning that the goings on here are not to be discussed outside of the office. We are passing around a copy of the NDA in the even any one has questions and you as leads will be going over this with your teams. I'm now going to turn the talking over to Miss Rinko."

Kinji stepped to the side and then Rinko stepped up.

"I would like to speak with all of you about introducing unauthorized software into any systems that pertain to SAO and Arc's intranet." Again I got the stair down, it was turning into a red letter day so far. "After an audit of the NervGear systems that caused an error in one of the past updates in SAO, this _unauthorized _software caused a glitch in the NervGear that could override the safety systems. This is very dangerous and could cause the limiters on the NervGear to not preform as spec."

Red letter isn't the word I should have used this was a nightmare, they had not called me out directly but with the way they were implying everyone knew why and who this was about. Had they directly called me out about this I would have given the rebuttal that I did have authorization for CALClito, heck Kayaba helped be write the code for some of the little fellow, but again they had not called me out. This was the typical covering your ass move.

_Please let this be over with soon._

After another moment of Rinko finished her passionate, _how dumb can a person be speech, _ it was over and Kayaba stood and took control of the meeting once more.

"Thank you Mr. Takahara, Miss Koujiro, I know some of you have some very proprietary software that we have developed for the SAO project, much like Miss Springfield's CALClite AI system she uses for testing. Which I know about as well as most of the others, but if you do have such a program that you world like to implement please be sure to run it by your team lead and they can in turn pass it on to me." After a quite adjustment to his glasses and a keen cock of the eyes at Takahara and Koujiro and turned back to the rest of us.

_Normally I would not play that care but you tell'em boy friend!_

"We have a lot to do, so lets keep on task, we are only two month from the Live Closed Beta and we have it as our duty to put on a good show to the luck thousand players. Thank you everyone for all your efforts." He bowed slightly to everyone and a round of thanks your were heard around the room for his praise. That was one thing the Kayaba was not know for, it you did your job then that was it you didn't really go above and beyond, so a thank you to the team at this point was a little off.

Naomi leaned over to me echoing what I my self only allowed to lighting drift through my mind.

"I think your having an affect on him." She whispered.

I on the other hand, could only nod.

（人´∀`*）

Koujiro, Rinko was a very secure women in her business life as well as her personal, however she is not have everything she wanted in her personal life, namely she did not have Akihiko Kayaba. She like others had pined for his affections for some time during the development of the NervGear, and subsequently the development of SAO. however her efforts were in vain when the pro gamer Menolly Springfield entered the throng of employs at Arc to work on SAO.

Rinko was brilliant there was no doubt, and her genius was rivaled only by Kayaba himself, even she would admit it. So it went beyond her that he had fallen for some 3rd rate programmer and video game jock.

She watched from afar as Kayaba walked over to _her _as the other team leads exited the meeting room. The one eyed cripple was laughing with Naomi the lead Art Director.

_Another flak but good at what she did. _Rinko thought to her self.

Kayaba joined them and they started a pleasant conversation to which Menolly giggled and blushed after some prodding from Naomi. What was the catalyst to there relationship, how had she ensnared someone like Kayaba.

Rinko could only huff as she left conference room herself, not caring to watch the display of banter between the couple and it did nothing but infuriate her that he should have to lower him self to her level, both mentally, and physically.

Well after the little incident both she and he would be working together to make sure that the NervGear that was going out tot eh beta test group could not be modified or cause some similar effect on anyone. Granted Kayaba was right this was just a one in a million chance that there would be a bug in the update and Menolly would be logged in at the time.

Just a roll of the dice, but when it came to Kayaba she was leaving nothing to chance.

(◣_◢)

Kayaba had been a little nerves the few times I had seen him throughout the day, I couldn't put my finger on it but he just seemed like he was putting a little more effort then usual into keeping out social life out of our work one. Like he had really put a mask on after the meeting this morning. I let it go and went back to work, well I went to hangout with Naomi and here team as they were putting the finishing touches on the last few floors.

Currently I was caught up skill were balanced, all the bosses that I could fight at the moment were balanced, so truly I was running low on ideas of what to do so mostly CALC and I just hung out and watched Naomi work and chat with her.

I kept sifting through outfits and weapons making cool looks for my self but I would always swap back to my Lancer armor and weapon in the end.

"You know its kind of odd to see you walking around. Not that its bad your walking I just got so use to looking slightly downward when we talk, you know." I nodded from my position on top of a ledge of the balcony I was on. This was one of the major parts of Iron Crad, the grand opera hall and Naomi had been working on it all day.

_I had no idea that an opera hall required so much chiffon._

"Yeah that it's a little odd for mot to look up at everyone. So yeah I get it."

Naomi looked from her console to me, I could tell she was contemplating what to say or how to fraise a question. On instinct my head tilted to the side letting her know I was waiting for the next question.

"Why do you not make a character different from yourself?" That was out of no where.

"Well I don't know," Truthfully I didn't maybe I was just un imaginative in that regards. "I guess for everyone else the put a lot of time into making there ideal version of them self but me, her I can walk so I'm already different from what I am irl."

I really took in the differences in Naomi here opposed to her real life self. No glasses, no markup, curly brunette rather then her midnight black hair, and it was short to boot where as her hair in the real world was straight down to her shoulder blades.

"Yeah that's about it I really don't have much I want to change about me, I'm already pretty awesome." I smirked, and Naomi glowered at me. "What? I'm just being honest. I always figured in games it was me playing them and with SAO I really am playing it."

"You know, you have a little bit of a ego some times. You should watch that." She said, the glower still in full force.

"It just comes from being so awesome." I said taking out Fafnir out and pulling off my signature jump followed by a Dragon Dive, I hit ground lance first and flames exploded out in a circle. Flipping around and in mid air I pulled the lance out of the ground and the small divot I had made in the floor, and landed gracefully in the middle of my destruction on the stage. Taking a bow.

"See awesome..." The look of horror on Naomi's face was palpable and I didn't know what could cause it.

"Why," she said in a sad tone. "Why would you do this to me? I was still working on that texture of the wood and blew it up." I blinked and looked down at the stage flooring, it did indeed look scorched and there was a hole in the floor. If this was an active texture she was working on that mean that any interference on it would become part of it. I did feel bad for what I had done but I could only look up with a mischievous grin on my face.

"Ooops." I said meekly.

.・゜゜・（／。＼）・゜゜・．

The rest of my day was spent with Naomi to help fix the problem I caused, I really didn't mean to mess up her project and she forgave me after promising to hang out next weekend and accommodate her with ice cream. I did and so we have a plan for me to atone for the sins against her creative hand.

The day was coming to an end and I was really just sitting around looking over some paper work. Most of the staff had cut out for the day in an effort to make good use of the weekend. I didn't have long to wait for Kayaba as he appeared in my door way and I smiled as I closed out the last window on my computer.

"So you said that there was some where you wanted to go tonight?" I asked in a cattie tone and I was rewarded with that slight smile.

"Yes, but we have to go hurry or we will miss the train."

_This is new, and completely surprising. _

"Director are you kidnapping me?" I asked as I rolled to the door and we both made out way to the elevator.

"You once told me you were fond of surprises, I have one for that should not disappoint." He said coming in behind me as and taking over the driving of chair.

The trip to the station was mostly quite, with only small talk, mostly from me asking where we were going. Him declining to tell me, and then me in turn guessing and he no answering me with anything other then, _it's a surprise._

Once on the train I was enjoying the scenery, I had always loved trains they were just so fun to ride on and you got to see so much of the country, granted it you tried to hone in one thing you had to be quick on the rail systems here.

The only clue I got to where we were going was it was a north bound train, and it would take us about two and a half hours to reach our location. I was having a good time as we road and talked and joked about various topics, it was nice, simple.

At some point I feel asleep, not so much a habit I had developed but more that it just put me in a really relaxed state so sleep came so naturally. I woke a Kayaba nudged me awake enough to assisted him in helping me get off the train but I think he did most of the work hauling me off the train to a car. I wasn't sure due to grogginess but I think I saw we were at the Shinshirakawa station.

Again, sleepy time Menolly is not to receptive of new information. Not to mention having a warm boy friend holding you close was a plus too.

( •̀ω•́ )σ ( . Y . )

Akihiko Kayaba was not against having the small girl in his arms staying there but unfortunately they still has a drive ahead of them and he would need his hands free. He took great care to as he set her in the front seat of his car, it was an older model but it wasn't so old that it was anything to scoff at. He had paid cash for the car several years ago when he started building SAO and with only a few short months it was imperative that he cross all of his _T's _and dot his _I's. _

He had thought long and hard about bring Menolly here to his hide away from humanity, his sanctuary. It was a risk but one he was willing to take it for her, for them. It was still to soon for him to tell her everything. Even though she her self has experienced what it was like to live there, in his world. To live or die by the sword and your own actions, taking life in your own hands.

Mentally he cursed, true she had taken the control and lived but not knowing it was happening had been a great disadvantage. If it had not been for that AI of hers she would not have survived. While part of him did not want to give her an unfair advantage.

However when SAO went live she would be on the same level as he, she would be beside him. They both longed for a world like that, a world to be free in, and so there was no doubt in his mind that she would stand beside him in the world that he was creating.

Ha came back out of his thoughts as he looked at the Km marker, they were not very far and he would have to stop to get grocery's before they reached the cabin. While the weather was nice now there was talk of snow later in the reign of Mt. Asahi but it shouldn't be so bad to cause deplorable conditions.

If luck was with him Menolly would wake up to a snow covered mount forest scape. She loved her guild hall in SAO and had it where it was merely for the location and environment. He hoped she would like the real thing.

He had to smile at that, what was real any more. SAO was just as real as this world, and soon the world would know that the barrier between this world and the other was a lot closer then any one knew.

o(´^｀)o

_Mmm so warm._

That was my first conches thought of the day and I snuggled into the warmth that my arms were around. Then it moved, then my eyes opened, scanned what I was holding, and then my face light up like a roman candle.

While most of the time I can hold my own in an odd situation I was snuggling into my boy friend and I had no idea how I got here.

_Where the hell is here?_

"You're an very clingy in your sleep."

_Oh god._

"Hi, good morning."

"If you will let me up I'll start breakfast." dumbly I nodded and un curled my hands from him.

I had to look around and figure out were we were and it was obvious it was a cabin, and then I stopped, outside the windows it was snowing. I looked over to where Kayaba left the room and saw my chair beside the bed and quickly crawled my way over to find a par of sweat pants and a shirt there in the chair along with my sneakers.

I dressed an fast as I could, it wasn't to hard since I could roll around the bed as much as I liked, and then I was in my chair wheeling out of the room.

Upon exiting the bed room I could see that it was not that large of a place, two bedrooms from what it looked like and maybe two bath, a large kitchen and living room. In the center was a rounded fire place with a flame lit that was helping to heat the largest of the cabins rooms.

Kayaba was working on breakfast as I wheeled around looking at everything and enjoying the heat from the fire pit.

"I hope a more American like breakfast is ok. Eggs, bacon, and pancakes, I think that suites the situation." He said as he flipped the skillet and a doughy confection flipped up and landed on its opposite side.

_Mans got cooking skills._

"That sounds American enough to me. Though you should know I have never been to America."

"So you have said. Why is that?"

It wasn't a hard answer, it was not that I had a problem with my American heritage it was just that it was alien to me. Yes I had grown up around a US military base and knew English, and I was American, but then again by accident I was also Japanese. I knew Japan, I had lived here all my life, my mother was still here, albeit because of me. I might not have been Asian or have the features of a native but I was a native of this land.

"Well I really don't have any family there, my mother still lives in Okinawa Prefecture, on the beach no less. We should bug her one weekend." The surprised that flittered across his face was funny and he missed the flip of one of his pancakes. Then I realized what I had just done. I had asked would he like to meet my mother. "I mean if you would like to go to the beach that is. I didn't mean you had to meet my mother, unless you want to. You know."

"Perhaps that would be a good idea." he said as he duped a pancake in the garbage. "But for now I thought we might go out I knew you really like the mountains and snow. There is a light snow still falling, more then enough to enjoy before it becomes unbearable."

He was really putting forth an effort to wow me. It was working.

I hesitate to use the term _magical evening,_ but that's what it was. The whole weekend was great we played in the snow, even built a snowman, He did most of the snow many making but I helped with the face. Wheel chairs do not work so well in soft earth. Then dinner and it was just nice to be in doors with some that I loved.

I had a moment of realization that I did, love, yes that was right I did love Akihiko Kayaba. It was as we were laying on the couch in the middle of the living room that I voiced this.

"I'm in love with you." For a time no other words were said as he held me close to his chest and worry started to pool in my stomach.

"Hmm, love is a very fickle thing, its not an absolute it's taking a chance. I never thought I would take that chance on any one but I want to take that chance at love with you Menolly."

It should go without saying that that was the night we did more than voice our love, we proved it and I think that was also the night that Kayaba and I both took a chance. He nor I ever started this relationship to really find love. I think that we were actually really lonely of people not understanding us and in turn us never understanding most other people.

We never really made connections with people until met each other and entered the others life. I know for a fact that I would have never become friends with Naomi if I had not made a concerted effort to open up to people but mostly each other.

If this night was a dream I really hoped that it would never stop.

* * *

When I started Count Down Till Launch I never really planned that deep of a love story. Well really I never intended to write a love story. I hope it comes access how socially odd both Menolly and Kayaba are and how there slightly opening up the world.

I really want these characters to stand on their own and not seem like cut outs. A lot more happening in the real world in this chapter. As some of you might notice the Alpha Phase is coming to a close and I have one more chapter before we move on to the Beta Phase, I'm sure there are a lot of people looking forward to that.

**Koujiro, Rinko** is a character from the SAO universe and most to scenes in this episode take place in locations spoken about in the SAO series.

Q_ Will we get the meet people like Kirito in the Beta?

A_ While he might make an appearance in the Beta he is not the main focus of this story. Not to mention it is a Beta that will be run to test out things in the game. I plan on Menolly running a few events in the game's Beta, like raids and other things.

Q_ Will the story continue after the launch of SAO?

A_ I plan on that yes, but this is not a primary story that I am running with at the moment this is just a fun side story I do for fun sake, but I have every intention of finishing it and going through GGO and maybe some of the other Arc's we'll just have to see.

Questions, comments, concerns are all welcome. No flames please I only want constructive criticism if you will. Thought short review just to let me know you enjoy the story are more than appreciated. Thanks to all my Reviewers for your efforts and words of confidence.

PS: No it was not beta'ed.

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DO IT NOW!

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